It is always great when your career and your passion align. MUA graduate Nasir Alhamdan did his undergraduate studies at Ryerson University in Canada. He completed his medical school pre-requisites in three years, making the Dean’s List and earning his undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science.

“MUA helped me fast track my journey to become a doctor” says Nasir. He had leaned about Caribbean medical schools thorough family and friends. After Nasir and his friend completed their degree they started to research in depth the list of possible medical schools. MUA stood out to them because of its high passing USMLE Step One rate, great residency matches and affordable tuition. “MUA was the perfect match. We were excited to be accepted and to start on our journey to becoming great doctors.”

While at MUA, Nasir felt he was thriving and truly living up to his potential. In addition to always keeping outstanding grades, Nasir was Class President, a TA in Physiology and Biochemistry and enjoyed competitive soccer.

“The most unique aspect of Basic Sciences for me was the environment the island provided. Not only was the weather beautiful and we were isolated from all distractions, I also developed a second family that I could relate to, which played a great role in keeping me motivated”

Nasir built a passion for teaching through his experience as TA. “MUA gave me the opportunity develop my teaching skills, I am committed to educating other students, residents and my patients.” Nasir went on to develop his own teaching website during his clinical rotations, called NasirMed.com.

“Just last week I presented a lecture on lupus to my co-interns and attendings and then put it on my website to educate other interns for their internal medicine boards.”

Clinicals were incredibly unique, Nasir, got to experience very different environments from one rotation to the next, allowing him to become adaptable to all scenarios. “It was through my core rotations I realized my passion for Internal Medicine, and with the help of the MUA clinical team I was able to gear all my elective rotations around that interest.”

Nasir was most moved and felt at place during his Internal Medicine Sub-I rotation at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, where he ultimately matched as his number one choice. “Sinai Hospital provides me with tremendous opportunity to expand my knowledge, and I love Baltimore City, it reminds me of my hometown in Canada, actually.”

What does the future look like for Nasir?

Once his three year Internal Medicine concludes, Nasir plans to pursue a Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship. No doubt he will also find time to continue teaching himself and others through his website. His passion for teaching, nurtured at MUA, continues to this day.

Samantha Agar practiced as a registered nurse both in labor and delivery and the neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital in Mississauga, Ontario after earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. As an undergraduate student at McMaster University School of Nursing, she was a standout student and received an award for Outstanding Academic Achievement.

Going to medical school was never far from her mind though. “I worked with a resident at my hospital who had told me about how she attended medical school in the Caribbean. I didn’t really know much about Caribbean medical schools. She had gone to MUA and highly recommended it.”

Samantha applied and was accepted into the Pre-Med Program at MUA. “It was an awesome program and a good way to review everything that I had learned a while back. The program really helps prepare you for the first semester of medical school.”

Embracing both fellow students and those living on the island, Samantha became actively involved in the school, and in the community on Nevis. “There were students from all around the world and the diversity was great and so positive. “ In addition to forging bonds with her fellow students, she was awarded the prestigious "Premier of Nevis" award on the island for her exceptional volunteer work and involvement with the local community. “I got to know a woman who was a breast cancer survivor there, and she had started the “Pink Lilly Program” to help educate others about the topic of breast cancer, screening and provide resources to those in need . I worked with her throughout my time on the island to help promote her vision, it was inspiring”.

After leaving Nevis for her clinical rotations, Samantha chose to do her cores at different hospitals to get exposure to different health care systems. “ I feel that you really take away something from each place you rotate and it’s a really good learning experience, it helps mold you into a better physician”.

Upon her graduation from MUA, Samantha received the Dean of Clinical Medicine award in recognition of her outstanding performance and academic excellence in the clinical medicine program.

Not surprisingly, when it came to residency Samantha had many interviews. She matched into her first choice…a Family Medicine residency at Southern Illinois University in Decatur, Illinois.

It is a three year program, after which she may go back to her roots in OB and practice full spectrum Family Medicine. 

“I am missing those sunny days on Nevis. My advice to students who come to MUA is get as involved as possible, you will meet some amazing people and get to be a part of a tight knit community and family that you will never forget. Nevis is a beautiful island that is home to some of the most beautiful and friendly people. I couldn’t ask for a better place to study medicine and start my career as a physician”.

 “I just needed a chance, and then I knew I could take it from there”.  

The happiest day of my life was when MUA decided to take a chance on me and accepted me into the school” says Eyad Ahmed. Currently in an Internal Medicine Residency at St. Michael’s Medicine Center in Newark, Eyad says “It is a dream come true that now as a graduate of MUA I have matched into a residency 30 minutes from where I grew up”.

Eyad decided to pursue medicine as a sophomore in college, having known some seniors who had gone on to attend MUA. “I just needed a chance, and then I knew I could take it from there”. 

“Nevis was great. I just wish I could have enjoyed it a bit more as I was studying a lot. It is a beautiful island, and everyone knew each other in town.”

Eyad found the students at MUA to be very hard working and resilient, and the environment overall very motivating. “The professors prepped us well for the USMLE, with a lot of review sessions in all the major subjects. The Clinical Dean made us a great study outline. They were hard on us, in a good way. They motivated us, and were really close to all of the students”.

When it came time for his clinical rotations, Eyad found that in his one on one discussion the clinical team really took into consideration his desires, and offered rotations in the NY metro area so that he could be near home. While appreciative of this, he opted instead to go with his MUA friends down to Louisiana, and looks back on this decision as the right choice. "I learned from some amazing doctors that to this day I still look up to and keep their advice in mind. They were very student and resident driven so education was a big component.  My friends and I really enjoyed it, and honestly I met some amazing friends from other schools as well during my time there. Louisiana gave me a unique experience in allowing me to work with a different population then that of the northeast”.

The matching process was exciting and tiring for Eyad. “When you are interviewing you see all the different styles and approaches of different programs. It gives you the exposure to figure out which hospital fits you well. “He was particularly appreciative of the time that the Clinical Dean put in to help him with the required Clinical Dean letter, and the matching process. “ The Clinical Dean really worked closely to help make you a strong candidate, reviewing our CV’s and personal statements and really putting in the time for us.”

Eyad was offered a pre-match in Internal Medicine and is currently in a 3 year residency program. “It is a very urban environment and I really like this”. Eyad’s brother is a pre-med student now and hopes to follow in his big brother’s footsteps.

After graduating with a degree in Biological Sciences and Biochemistry from the University of Windsor in Canada, MUA “checked all the boxes” for Syed Imran when it came time to doing his medical school research. “I looked into tuition, saw the school had a very good match rate, and knew someone going to school”.

Imran adapted easily to the school and met his future wife in the first few days at MUA. He excelled in Basic Sciences and his clinical rotations.

Matching into a residency as a couple is a difficult feat, particularly when both are hopeful to achieve their first choice in residency.  For both Imran and Fazila all went well, with Imran matching into Internal Medicine and Fazila into Pediatrics together in Tennessee.

As an Internal Medicine resident Imran was named “Resident of the Year” each of his first two years, and then "Chief Resident” his third year. During his residency, he presented his research a numerous national and international conferences. He also served on the Internal Medicine Quality Improvement and Program Evaluation Committees during his residency.

During his residency, Imran began to develop a deep interest in cardiology and decided to choose this area as a sub-specialty. He matched successfully at Mount Sinai in Miami and is currently a second year fellow interested in advanced echocardiography and pursuing a career in non-invasive cardiology.  “Cardiology is very exciting and fast-paced. There are a ton of advances happening now in advanced cardiac imaging, and the future of cardiology is heading toward non-invasive procedures. MRI, CT and Echo imaging techniques are really the future."

Oh, for a whole summer in the pool at Montpelier Plantation. It's the perfect place to waste away on vacation, set on 60 acres of an 18th-century plantation, at 750 feet above sea level. Music plays gently. Birds flit around the breakfast terrace. Bougainvillea hides the tennis court. The open-plan buildings flow in and out of each other, with verandas overlooking the sea. In spite of the palm trees, there is an English feeling about the gardens, echoes of the original owners. In recent years an American family bought the hotel, ditched the chintz, kept the afternoon tea, and built a breezy poolside bar. They smartened up the 17 cottage rooms—high-ceilinged, wooden-beamed—and refurbished the restaurant, now probably the best on Nevis.

MUA 2018 graduation speaker Dr. Danison Emmerson talks with gratitude and pride about his experience at MUA, in particular his clinical rotations at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma where he developed his passion for Neurology. “We were treated like mini-interns there, for example scrubbing in and being the first assist on procedures. Many US med school students that I now work with just did not get the same experience in their clinical that I did. I met my mentor at St. Anthonys, and changed my direction from Emergency Medicine to Neurology because of what I learned there.” The clinical rotation experience in Oklahoma was life changing for Danison, as was another event that occurred during these rotations, namely his marriage to fellow MUA student Suong Nguyen.

Prior to the start of his clinical rotations Danison shares that the MUA Clinical Department were there to support their desire to be together “ The MUA Clinical Department worked closely with us to make sure that I was able to do most of my rotations with my girlfriend, now wife. They worked really closely with both us, and not even a question was asked”.

Danison began his medical career at MUA in the Pre-Med program. “The pre-med program primed me well and helped get me settled into the med school life. Nevis is a peaceful island with no distractions, and while there, I knew that my one job was to study. There were no distractions, which really helped. He did his undergraduate work at University of Toronto “where I learned about MUA from a classmate who only had good things to say, particularly when comparing MUA to the massive schools in the Caribbean”.

His current residency in Neurology is 4 years. “It is really a unique program here at University of Connecticut.” As a Neurology resident, you have a unique opportunity to be the specialist and primary team. You see patients in the emergency department, ICU and on the wards. You are involved with every facet of their care. My absolute favorite part is a the critical decision making you as the neurology resident are a cornerstone of; wither it’s a treatment decision for stroke; seizures; Multiple sclerosis; Myasthenia gravis; Gillian Bare. You are the final word in many life-altering situation. It is really an adrenaline rush. It’s why I have developed an interest in the critical care aspect of Neurology”.

As for next steps, he plans to do a one year Stroke Fellowship when his current residency is up, and from there perhaps another Fellowship in Interventional or Critical Care Neurology

Raised in Canadian, Obed decided after high school to come to the United States for college, and enrolled as a scholar/athlete at Northern Arizona University, running track and winning awards at the triple jump.

After later securing a Masters in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the same University, he went on to matriculate at MUA for medical school, choosing MUA because “they had a lot of Canadians, a good match record, and the school was affordable which was important to me. It checked all the boxes.”

Says Obed, “the teachers were phenomenal, and everyone there is really willing to teach and explain. They are patient, and they really listen.” Obed got involved in the life of the school, serving as VP of the Student Government Association and as a Teaching Assistant in Histology, Immunology and Microbiology. “I found it a really close-knit group and had a very positive experience at MUA.”

Obed cites a few of his core and elective rotations that particularly stood out for him, such as his elective Psychiatry rotation at Brentwood Hospital in Louisiana where he worked under the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and thought long and hard about pursuing this field of medicine.

It was his core rotation though in Internal Medicine at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in NY that was to be the seminal rotation that would set him on the path to his Residency.  “I feel I really went above and beyond there, coming in early and working late. I did some extra credit, doing an additional round with another attending there and then went to clinic. It was in this clinic that I accurately diagnosed a man with breast cancer, and I think this got a lot of notice for me.”

Continues Obed, "There were several attendings at Wyckoff who later told me to apply for Residency there: I did and I matched into a 3 year Internal Medicine Residency.”

As he had at MUA, Oped became part of the community and a leader during his Residency, serving as Chief Student in both the Department of Surgery and the Department of Medicine. He went on to become Chief Resident, and has followed this with a 3 year Fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine at Brooklyn Hospital, also in New York”.

When asked about his success he offers these words of advice. “Keep your eye on the prize and forget the negativity. Be the first one there and the last one to leave. Most importantly, do what you are passionate about.”

Karlyle Robinson and Evangelos Bistas were newly dating in Canada when they hit upon the realization that they both wanted to go to med school, and importantly they wanted to do it together.

Says Evangelos, “It was my father who told us about MUA. He was supportive of our decision to go to med school and did a lot of research. He is very intuitive, and thought MUA was the right school. He wanted better for my brother and me, and always put education first for us before all else.” "Both Evangelos and I owe a lot of our success to our parents; they have gone above and beyond to support us."

Karlyle was a scholar and an avid hockey player, earning an academic and athletic scholarship to the top preparatory high schools, Ridley College and then to the University of Windsor before transferring to Brock University after two years where she graduated with honors in Biology. Evangelos graduated at the same time with Honors in Kinesiology from McMaster.

Together they enrolled at MUA, he in the Pre-Med program (“it really helped prepare me and gave me a really solid foundation”) and she in the MED 1 program. They both make note of the fact that having each other made a huge difference…”we really brought each other up”. Along the way, they adopted three cats who provided some calmness from the rigors of academic life.

Currently now in their clinical rotations (she has finished her core rotations and he will be shortly), they both felt well prepared for the USMLE Step One, passing their comp exams on the first try and are confident that they got a really solid foundation from MUA professors and curriculum. Says Karlyle, "I also feel that our Clinical Skills class was really unique and really prepared us well. Now, when I see a patient in my rotation I know what to say and how to progress from one situation to the next. Not all schools offer this clinical skills training.”

Evangelos is getting ready to start his core rotation in Surgery, and Karlyle is putting together her elective schedule to fulfill her dream of becoming a Psychiatrist. “I want to work with veterans who are suffering PTSD. This is really important to me; my father was a police officer for 30+ years and it does take an emotional toll."

Both Evangelos and Karlyle speak glowing of their time at MUA. “MUA provides the opportunity for students like us who have what it takes to be successful in medicine, and perhaps didn’t have it all figured out at 18. We have developed so many quality traits here, including resilience and grit. "Living on an island will do that to you.” There is one more certificate that they both have earned at MUA, and that would be a marriage certificate. Shortly after Karlyle wrote her Step 1 exam they were married, and continue their medical journey together as husband and wife now.

Hear live from MUA Med 3 student Rehan Hamidani

MUA grad Dr. Ahmar Zaidi was a featured speaker at the recent prestigious TEDx event in Detroit November 6. These TEDx speakers are the best and brightest, and are invited to this exclusive event to share their passions and ideas on stage. Congratulations Dr. Zaidi!

Dr. Ahmar U. Zaidi is an opinionated blood doctor at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan where he oversees the care of almost 700 sickle cell patients. He is determined to generate awareness for this debilitating disease by all and any means necessary. His research focuses on using wearable technology and social media to drive care forward for these patients.

MUA Med 4 students Vikram Valia, John Thottungal, Maria Rahman, Chante Smith, Nora Shero and Mohammed Uddin, visiting Alexander Hospital in Nevis. Hospital visits allow students to observe surgeries, internal medicine and obstetric patient cases with a practicing physician. It complements the rigorous clinical science curriculum.

MUA Gateway Program graduate Chandi Patel quote for MUA :  " I just also wanted to say thank you for the opportunity given to me this past May for the Gateway Medical Program. I learned a lot from the program itself and the rigorousness of professional school in general. I feel that the program has well prepared me for medical while giving me the opportunity to adjust to life on the island. The Gateway Program is literally a blessing in disguise.”

How Medicine Became the Stealth Family-Friendly Profession

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/upshot/medicine-family-friendly-profession-women.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Nevis Named " Amazing Caribbean Islands to Visit"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/30-amazing-caribbean-islands-to-visit/ss-AAFwvFr?li=BBnbklE#image=11

Nevis

Set off the coast of St. Kitts, Nevis offers a quieter atmosphere with smaller crowds compared to other Caribbean hot spots. This island boasts an array of luxury resorts and fine dining establishments along with unspoiled beaches and natural beauty you come to expect in this part of the world. Nevis is also widely known as the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, whose roots you can explore with a visit to his childhood home.

Junaid Munshi did pre-med coursework as an undergraduate at St. Louis University. Wanting to give back to humanity, and citing the quote in the Quran ‘whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.’ he settled on a career in medicine. “I wanted to go to work every day and bring goodness to my life by helping others. What I like about medicine is your whole purpose is just to help someone.”

While Junaid came to Nevis, he says he worked hard, made great friends and loved the Nevis beaches. “All the late night studying and stress were 100% worth it”. Doing well in his clinical rotations, Junaid began a residency in Family Medicine at Louisiana State University Medical Center and distinguished himself with the “Resident Teaching Award”, “Research and Scholarly Activity Award” as well as the highest Step 3 score in his residency class.

Currently back in St. Louis as Preceptor at both Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis University School of Medicine. Junaid is thrilled now to be combining his second greatest passion (boxing) with his work as a physician.

“Boxing is my favorite sport, and I have been following it since I was a kid. At every fight, I saw a doctor, and always dreamed of being that doctor.

Certified by the Association of Ringside Physicians in 2018. Junaid has been the doctor in many televised fights on ESPN and DAZN. He has also been the ringside physician for multiple world title fights at the highest level of the sport. “One world title fight in New Orleans really stands out in my mind. A fighter sustained an injury. Due to the magnitude of the fight, there was hesitation to stop the fight. The fighter himself wanted the fight to continue as all fighters do. I intervened though, and stopped the fight knowing that was the right decision to make. The next day the fighter tweeted and thanked me. I knew that I had done the right thing at a crucial point in someone’s life”.

Key criteria to consider when evaluating Caribbean medical schools

While attending medical school in their home country is the preference of most U.S. and Canadian students,  this unfortunately is not a  feasible option for many.  There are limited seats in U.S. and Canadian schools and the demand far outstrips the supply. In U.S. medical schools in 2018-2019  there were over 52,000 applicants vying for approximately 21,000 seats. In Canada the situation was similar, with over 13,000 students applying for under 3000 seats.

Attending medical school in the Caribbean has always been a popular alternate path chosen by many students who want to become an M.D. and practice in the United States and Canada. However, the quality of the over 50 medical schools in the Caribbean vary widely.  It is  important to be well-informed about the important criteria that should be part of an evaluation process . What are the important evaluation criteria for an interested pre-medical student?

The importance of  Accreditation and Licensing

It is imperative for prospective students to choose a Caribbean medical school that will allow them to become licensed to practice medicine in North America. A school needs to be appropriately accredited, otherwise graduates of the school can be precluded from medical licensure in the U.S. and/or Canada. Licensing authorities at both the federal and state/provincial level in North America have become increasingly stringent in their assessment of foreign medical schools and their graduates. It is of the utmost importance  that the school you choose is appropriately accredited and recognized.

The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certifies which students from foreign schools may take the United States Medical Licensing Exams. In order to practice medicine in the United Sates students must take and pass these exams. ECFMG certification will change in 2023.  Beginning in 2023, this certification will only available to students from schools that are accredited by an accrediting agency that is officially recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME). Currently, there are only three accrediting agencies working in the Caribbean that are recognized by WFME:

1.         Accreditation Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM)

2.         Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO)

3.         Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Health Professionals (CAAM-HP)

Similarly, the U.S. National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) evaluates which foreign countries and their accreditors use standards that are comparable to the standards used to accredit medical schools located in the United States. The curriculum, faculty, resources and the schools themselves are held to comparable standards to U.S. medical schools.

 Currently, there are three states (New York, California and Florida) that independently review foreign medical schools. These reviews can have a bearing on the ability of foreign medical students/graduates to participate in clinical rotations and/or practice medicine in that state. In 2020, however, California will discontinue its reviews, leaving only New York and Florida as the two states independently reviewing foreign medical schools. Students from unapproved schools cannot participate in any clinical rotations in Florida. In New York, students from unapproved schools cannot earn a residency in the state and can only participate in limited clinical rotations.

It is important therefore to attend a Caribbean medical school whose accreditation is recognized by WFME, NCFMEA, New York and Florida. Currently there are only seven Caribbean medical schools recognized by all of these organizations:

1.         American University of Antigua

2.         American University of the Caribbean

3.         Medical University of the Americas

4.         Ross University

5.         Saba University

6.         St. George’s University

7.         St. Matthew’s University

Access to the  United States Federal Loan Programs

The United States Department of Education must assess and approve the quality of the school in order for students from Caribbean medical schools to receive U.S. federal loans. The criteria used by the Department of Education include:

1.         Accreditation recognized by NCFMEA

2.         USMLE pass rates of students and graduates

3.         Quality of clinical rotations

There are only seven Caribbean medical schools currently that are approved by the Department of Education for participation in the U.S. federal loan programs:

1.         American University of Antigua

2.         American University of the Caribbean

3.         Medical University of the Americas

4.         Ross University

5.         Saba University

6.         St. George’s University

7.         St. Matthew’s University 

Among the many Caribbean medical schools, these seven schools stand out as having the external recognition necessary for their students and graduates to practice medicine in the United States and to obtain access to U.S. federal loans. These are the same seven Caribbean medical schools whose accreditations are recognized by both WFME and NCFMEA, and which are approved by the licensing authorities of both New York and Florida.  As such, students reviewing Caribbean medical schools would be wise to consider limiting their evaluation to these seven schools.

 Making my choice among the seven Caribbean medical schools

How should a prospective student choose among the seven Caribbean medical schools that meet the necessary external standards for quality?

Class size can vary widely, and thus the attendant level of personal attention afforded to students. Students  should be mindful of their learning style and look for a school that will match their personal preference. Schools such as Medical University of the Americas strictly limit the size of their incoming cohorts, while others have extraordinarily large class sizes. St. George’s University has had incoming cohorts of nearly 1,000 medical students, while class sizes of greater than 500 medical students are not uncommon at Ross University.

Schools vary widely in their tuition, with some charging more than virtually any US medical school, while others are  much more affordable.

Lastly, the island itself should be taken into account. Some Caribbean countries are poor – often with high crime rates – while other Caribbean islands have all the comforts of home and provide a beautiful and peaceful setting in which to study medicine.

              Choosing the right Caribbean medical school that meets the criteria outlined above will enable you to practice              medicine in the field that you want anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. 

 Below is table of information that will enable you to compare the seven schools across some key variables. For reference, it also includes the data for the median U.S. public medical school.

(1) Four year tuition & fees as of 2018-19. Source: American Association of Medical Colleges, individual school websites 
(2) GDP per capita. Source: United Nations Statistics Division, CIA World Factbook, Statistics Netherlands 
(3) Data unavailable for island of Nevi

Thomas Edison once said that “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to always try just one more time.”This year’s Medical University of the Americas commencement speaker perfectly embodies Mr. Edison’s words. 

Shehahn Soundranayagam is the only child of immigrant parents from Sri Lanka, who came to Canada to flee the civil war. Fascinated as a child by all of the complexities of living things and inspired by Bill Nye the Science Guy, Shehahn thought that medicine would be the best way to both understand the human body and to take part in fixing it.

In pursuit of his dreams, Shehahn studied actuarial science and biology at the University of Toronto as a premedical student. However, based on his academic performance, he did not feel that he was competitive for admission to Canadian medical schools. After completion of his studies, Shehahn started a career in pharmaceutical consulting. Yet his true passions remained unfulfilled.

He quit his pharmaceutical job and decided that he wanted to pursue medicine no matter what. And we at MUA were fortunate to welcome this exceptional student into our medical program.

Today Shehahn is graduating academically as the top performing student in this class. Not only does he have the highest USMLE Step 1 of any student in this graduating class, but he also has two of the highest USMLE scores of all time at MUA and likely is amongst the top scoring of most who have taken the test. But even with his stellar academic performance, he has always remained humble, and is loved by all of his attending physicians, peers, and patients. He demonstrates compassion and empathy in all of his work. He was an exemplary medical student and will be an even more admirable physician.